Chapter 53 - Chapter 53

Chapter 53

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

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Joo-hyuk conversed with Cossack until late at night.

Cossack, claiming he had conducted a satisfying negotiation where both sides won-won,

"Hehehe, he definitely said he was satisfied. I heard him clearly."

What satisfaction?

After listening to it, it was practically at the level of a threat.

Well, for Cossack, the artist of the red ribbon, that much could probably be called a negotiation.

Anyway, the result is good.

Everything is good, but...

"The items are too precious to give up. You barely even used them a few times."

"That's exactly my point, sir. It means there was absolutely no problem even without using them, sir."

"..."

"Anyway, other attribute items are only useful up to the 60th floor, sir. From the 61st floor onwards, they are useless, sir."

That is true.

From the 61st floor undead section onwards, it's the holy attribute.

Moreover, he is a player who fights using the power of summoned entities, not the power of items.

He knows it well enough.

He knows it, but it's still a waste.

Aren't they privilege items?

"Then what about from the 71st floor onwards? You can use them there."

That section where Gwangma said towers would collapse here and there.

"Not a chance, sir. With such shoddy items, it's useless, sir. At the very least, you must secure Legendary Named Grade items to even consider putting up a fight, sir."

Useless?

"Why? What comes out there?"

"When you go up to the 71st floor, terrifying bastards just, just, um..., monsters.... um, huh? What came out?"

Cossack tilting his head and wrinkling his forehead.

"It's strange, sir. I can't remember, sir."

"Have you even been up there? Or is it amnesia?"

"I've been up there a few times, sir. I've also heard many stories, sir. But.... mmm, my mind is foggy, sir."

"Try to recall carefully."

"Haa, is there an eraser in my head, or did someone erase it? It's bewitching, sir."

Trying hard while tearing at his hair, eventually,

"I just remember the feeling that it was hard, sir. Just the feeling, sir."

"Were the monsters incredibly strong?"

"Hmm, strictly speaking, they were tricky to deal with. That's right, sir. They were tricky, sir."

Tricky to deal with, huh.

What could it possibly be?

"I also remember the conversation we had back then, sir. Saying we didn't know these kinds of bastards would appear, and that it actually started from the late 60s floors, sir."

Late 60s floors, huh.

Something must start to change.

But exactly which floor?

The 67th floor is already revealed.

Undead Phantom Reaper.

Then it's 68, 69, 70 floors.

"Anything else besides that?"

"I truly can't remember, sir. Not even this much, sir."

He suddenly became curious.

Until now, he hadn't even thought about the 71st floor and beyond.

What will appear from that section onwards?

Why did Gwangma say towers would randomly collapse in the 70s floors?

He wants to know more, but what can he do if Cossack says he can't remember?

Cossack wouldn't lie either.

Well, he'll find out once he goes up.

* * *

The next day.

Joo-hyuk woke up early in the morning.

Going to the bathroom to empty himself, taking a bath, brushing his teeth and managing his nails, changing into clean new clothes, a brief meditation.

After finishing preparations, Joo-hyuk took out the Rune of Trait Enhancement from his inventory.

His first attempt at enhancement using an item.

So, he felt slightly nervous.

'Let's do it.'

Using the rune is simple.

People frequently use the expression 'eating' it, and that's accurate.

You literally just have to eat it.

When you bring the small piece of stone engraved with letters to your mouth, it smoothly melts and slides down your throat naturally.

[Your Awakening Trait is enhanced.]

With this,

[Trait]: Summoning (Simultaneous Summons: 5)

'It's done.'

Now it's 5 people.

First, calling out Cossack, Gobang, Gyeon Dal-rae, and Rajix all together to inform them of the outcome of yesterday's negotiation,

"Kyahaha, who am I? The master of negotiation, it is John Cossack right here, sir."

"Outstanding. Assassin."

"I am a negotiator, you punk!"

"Ho-e? Can I stay permanently?"

"You can play around while chewing carrots, sir."

"Young Master, congratulations. Sir Cossack also suffered greatly."

"Ahem! What's there to suffer for that much, hehehehe."

Cossack continuously boasting of his heroic tales to his comrades, repeating the same story to the point their ears bled, but still, the atmosphere was amicable.

"Mr. Cossack."

"Yeah!"

"What monsters appear from the 51st floor onwards? You remember that, right?"

"Griffons, sir. You can imagine a freaking huge bird, sir."

Rajix raising his hand abruptly,

"Do I peel the leather?"

"There are only feathers, sir. We peel the leather in the Wyvern section from the 56th floor onwards, sir."

"Ho-e, what do I do?"

"You can just mine ores during repetitive clears, sir."

Now what's left is fulfilling the promise.

The time limit for clearing the UAE Black Tower is 14 days, 2 weeks left.

He must climb at ultra-high speed up to the 60th floor.

Of course, drawing one more person.

"Now, now, everybody gather. Get ready to welcome a new person."

"Yeah!"

I hope a summoned entity proficient in combat appears.

"Here goes."

But let's not expect too much.

Whoever appears, let's just gladly accept them.

Regardless of grade or class,

"Randomized Summoning!"

Whoooosh! Summoning begins.

A cluster of light descended from the sky.

At the same time, transforming into the shape of a person.

Flash-flash-flash!

They finally appeared.

A new summoned entity.

Fairly tall height, a slender waist, large.... huh?

"...A woman."

"It is a woman."

"Ho-e-e-e?"

"She is of the same gender as me."

Then Cossack, glancing up and down at Gyeon Dal-rae from the corner of his eye,

"Same gender, but very different, sir."

"W, what do you mean?"

"...Tsk tsk, pretending not to know when you clearly do."

"Y, you scoundrel!!!"

The external appearance was definitely female.

The body figure showed it.

Her attire was in the form of a black full-body tights suit tightly clinging to her body, her curves revealed exactly as they were, almost embarrassing to stare at continuously.

The most impressive part.

There was something that caught his eye even before her face.

A very familiar object held in her two hands.

Made of metal, a long, thick, and heavy body, a stock to rest against the shoulder, a trigger at the bottom.

'A rifle?'

That's right.

It's a firearm.

However, it was different from typical guns in many aspects.

First of all, it was very large.

Larger and thicker than personal firearms frequently issued in the military.

To the point where one wonders how anyone carries it around.

Overall, it was old-fashioned like an early rifle, but some parts also looked sophisticated.

At the upper part, there was a faintly glowing blue glass plate, and unknown letters and symbols appeared and disappeared like an LED panel.

To describe it, it felt like a combination of a steampunk large-caliber old-fashioned rifle and a cyberpunk electronic rifle.

After checking the firearm, her appearance finally caught his eye.

Black hair and black eyebrows.

In terms of race, she was closer to Latin descent.

Her long hair was tied back tightly, her face shape was slender and small, and her lips were red.

Also, small slit eyes so narrow the pupils couldn't be seen....

'...They're not slit eyes.'

He thought they were slit eyes, but actually, she had her eyes half-closed.

Swaying her body back and forth.

'Don't tell me she's dozing off?'

Nah, it couldn't be. The moment!

Drip, drip.

Saliva stretching stickily down from the new summoned entity's lips.

What the hell? She really was dozing off?

"Woman, is sleeping."

"She probably doesn't even know she was summoned."

"Hu-e-e,"

"D, dirty, sir. If she sucks that right back in...."

Slurp!

"Eek! She sucked it in, sir."

As soon as the dangling saliva disappeared into her mouth, the new summoned entity abruptly opened her eyes.

"Oh my! W, where is this...."

As if realizing the situation just then, she stared blankly at Joo-hyuk's face, then,

Snap!

Bringing her two feet together in a position of attention, she spread her right hand and attached it closely to the end of her eyebrow, shouting.

"Certain Victory! Sergeant Veronica Caliber! Captain, thank you for summoning me."

"...Ah! Yes, yes."

The name is Veronica Caliber.

Calling Joo-hyuk 'Captain' upon seeing him.

- Name: Veronica Caliber

- Grade: SR (Super Rare)

- Type: Magic Gunner (Human)

- Manifestation Limit: 6 Hours

- Satisfaction Rating: None.

- Resummon Cooldown: 3 Hours (Applied after unsummoning)

A beautiful magic gunner of the Ranger unit from the Magic Empire's army, huh.

But can that firearm be used in the tower?

Well, since she can use it, she's probably carrying it around.

"Welcome."

However, without an answer,

Tilting, swaying. What the?

"..."

She falls asleep again after saluting?

Snore, snore,

How absurd.

She's even snoring while sleeping.

"Ho-eng."

"Mmm,"

"An unusual summoned entity."

Cossack, also with a dissatisfied expression,

"I don't like that woman, sir."

"Why?"

"Saluting and shouting slogans, sir."

"Why does that..."

"The character overlaps, sir. Originally, saluting and shouting slogans were my thing first, sir. Look here! Chung! This right here, sir."

Not entirely wrong, but.

"She's a soldier, though?"

"...Pardon?"

"Magic Empire Ranger unit, I think she said her rank is Sergeant."

"Uh-uh."

"Did Mr. Cossack perhaps serve in the military?"

Then Cossack, rolling his eyes back and forth,

"I, I received an exemption, sir... because I'm flat-footed."

"Aha."

"If I hadn't been flat-footed, I would have quit being an assassin and joined the military, sir."

Flat-footed my foot.

He was flying around when using Shadow Step.

Anyway, she's a peculiar person.

To think she was summoned while dozing off.

Is she originally someone who sleeps a lot?

Or did she die in her past life unable to sleep?

- Sergeant Veronica Caliber was a veteran sniper of the Magic Empire's Northern Ranger unit. Engaged in daily battles with demonic beasts amidst the bitter cold, she gained fame as an unfailing magic gunner. Then, an unexpected massive wave of demonic beasts occurred, incredible numbers of demonic beasts swarming towards the border fortress walls.

- If the northern fortress walls were breached, the empire would be finished; a desperate struggle ensued. They had to hold out until reinforcements arrived. With various types of demonic beasts constantly attacking day and night, she couldn't sleep. She held out to the end, stabbing her thigh with a dagger to fight the overwhelming drowsiness. Her eyes were so bloodshot that bloody tears flowed, she had long since surpassed the limits a human could endure. In the end, after fighting for 100 days and nights, Veronica confirmed the arrival of reinforcements and could finally enter a peaceful rest.

So it's true?

Died from lack of sleep.

Of course, the final blow was dealt by a demonic beast, but she gladly accepted that death.

Because she could sleep peacefully.

'I probably shouldn't bother her when she's sleeping if possible.'

Well, the highly anticipated damage dealer appeared.

The grade is also quite decent, SR, Super Rare, Class 'Magic Gunner'.

Although he wants to enter the tower right now to see how skilled she is.... he can't wake her up when she's sleeping like that.

"I will wake her up, sir."

"She seems to be sleeping so soundly, let's just leave her be to sleep."

"No way, sir! Since she came out, she must fulfill her duty, sir. I cannot bear to see her sleeping, sir."

Cossack approached Veronica, who was nodding off while standing, and poked her ribs.

The moment!

She sprang up abruptly.

"Sergeant! Veronica Cali...."

Then, looking at Cossack standing before her eyes,

"What are you, wanna die?"

"D, did you just say that to me?"

"Who else is here besides you? You gigolo-looking punk,"

"...I'm an SR, though?"

"So what? Do bullets not penetrate an SR's belly?"

Click!

Ziiiiing!

"Or should I shove a hot one right up your rear?"

"..."

Cossack with a flustered expression, didn't know what to do.

Ah, why is every woman Cossack meets like this?

Left with no choice, Joo-hyuk approached.

"Ms. Veronica?"

"Sergeant, Veronica Caliber! Reporting for duty."

"I'm thinking of entering the tower,"

"Is it an operation?"

"Yes. Tryna catch a few scorpions."

"Operation Scorpion Extermination, I will execute it perfectly. Certain Victory!"

Oh!

She's full of vigor.

Thus, Joo-hyuk's party took the new summoned entity and commenced the 50th-floor King Scorpion repetitive clear mission.

And exited 30 minutes later.

Everyone had highly satisfied expressions.

Having confirmed Veronica's abilities, let's embark on a full-scale climb of the uncleared upper floors.

* * *

[You are entering the 51st floor of the South Korea (South Korean) Black Tower.]

The section from the 51st floor to the 55th floor features flying demonic beasts, Griffons.

Joo-hyuk's party finished preparations to head to the mission area.

However.

Nodding, stumbling,

Veronica dozing off even while walking.

"Summoner Bong, she's sleeping again, sir."

"Ho-eng."

"Absolutely no sense of time or place. Is it an illness?"

"At this point, I think it might be an illness. Because of this, there is no time to even converse and build camaraderie with each other."

But there's nothing to worry about.

Because her eyes change once they actually enter battle.

Joo-hyuk poked her forearm.

"Gasp! Sergeant, Veronica Caliber."

"Sergeant, shouldn't we slowly get ready?"

"Ah! Understood. Certain Victory!"

[51st Floor Mission: Eliminate 15 Eagle-Claw Griffons.]

[Completion Time Limit: Within 14 hours.]

[Condition of Failure: Death or Mission Abandonment]

The mission popped up.

A massive flock of giant birds visible in the high sky over there.

"I will begin the operation."

In the 50th floor repetitive clear, they witnessed the power of the magic gun.

The power of the large magic bullet that brought the King Scorpion to a near-death state in one shot, and the small magic bullets that easily pierced the normal scorpions' exoskeletons.

Truthfully, the physical abilities she possessed were insignificant.

Although stronger than a normal person, compared to the other summoned entities, she fell far behind.

Even considering her grade.

Instead, her equipment was extraordinary.

Not to mention the magic gun, the tights serving as an enhanced suit, combat boots allowing rapid movement through magic emission, and magic defense gloves protecting her hands and fingers.

High-performance combat equipment created by the Magic Empire.

That seems to be Veronica's ability.

Then what about a full-scale S++ grade time attack mission?

Clang-clang-clang! Thump-thump-thump!

The sound of drums and bells stimulating the fighting spirit.

Gyeon Dal-rae's rhythm changed slightly.

Maximization of senses.

And strength enhancement simultaneously with a speed increase.

Adrenaline surged.

Because the number of people increased, Gyeon Dal-rae also concentrated her mind and shook the bells like crazy.

"Excellent. Princess, morale is sky-high thanks to you."

Veronica moving forward rapidly.

Raising the muzzle upwards, taking a standing shooting stance and aiming at an Eagle-Claw Griffon,

Ziiiiing, pew!

A milky-white magic bullet hit the griffon's body accurately.

"Kyeeek!"

The griffon flying towards Veronica at a terrifying speed.

However, she did not run away.

She continuously fired small bullets to gnaw away at the bastard's health.

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew...

While firing the magic gun, backing up slowly to approach Gobang,

"Handing over."

"Taking over."

The Eagle-Claw Griffon's legs were caught in Gobang's hands.

A perfect handover of aggro.

With Gobang holding the griffon, Cossack rushed in and hacked its head to pieces.

Even amidst that, Veronica continuously kept moving.

As soon as she handed one over, she pulled another one.

Pew! Pew! Pew....

Inflicting damage with small bullets and handing over to Gobang again.

The battle continued incessantly without pausing for even a moment.

Killing one, another was delivered immediately.

Delivery, and another delivery.

Not a magic gunner, but a delivery driver.

Gobang and Cossack had no problems just standing by in one location.

All they had to do was grab the griffon that was already battered and tattered from injuries and finish it off.

Leaving aside the speed of the clear, it was extremely stable.

A tank, melee damage dealer, ranged damage dealer, and Gyeon Dal-rae's buffs.

'At this point, you could call it a completed party.'

He felt proud.

He picked a good person.

As a summoner, he couldn't be more satisfied.

[Announcement: You have achieved an S++ clear grade on the 51st floor of the Black Tower (South Korea).]

[S++ Clear Reward: A Platinum Badge is bestowed.]